Knowledge assessment of nursing personnel about sexually transmitted diseases

Abstract

In India, Reproductive Tract Infection (RTI) including Sexually transmitted Diseases (STDs) produce a huge disease burden. Nursing staff plays a major role in prevention of STI/RTIs. So this study was conducted aimed to know the knowledge about STIs/RTIs of nursing personnel of a tertiary care hospital. 100 nursing professionals were supervised for practice and interrogated for attitude and knowledge as per a semi- structured schedule. It was found that overall mean score of nurses was 56% and only 52% had scores passing marks (>50%). Although this knowledge about STI/RTI was not found to be associated religion, caste, type of family and socio- economic status but it was found to be associated with sex, marital status and education of nurses. It was also found in this study that gap of training decreases the knowledge and number of training increases the knowledge. It was found to be associated with department where the nurses were working. So all the nurses irrespective of place of posting should be given refresher trainings at regular intervals.